Communications networks run the risk of becoming overloaded or congested due to prevalence of various high-bandwidth applications such as peer-to-peer file sharing and streaming video applications. On average, these applications generate about two-thirds of the traffic volume in a typical network. Accordingly, limiting the amount of resources consumed by such applications is of interest to network/content/service providers.
One approach to limit such traffic is preventing subscribers from using or limiting the use of the high-bandwidth applications by imposing bandwidth caps on bandwidth usage, e.g., maximum data usage per month. This approach requires users to monitor their monthly usage and creates competitive pressure from other content providers that can offer higher usage caps.
Another approach to limit such traffic is interfering with the protocols used for transmitting packets of such applications, e.g., setting TCP reset packets. However, such an approach is not net-neutral. Yet another approach is identifying applications that may use extensive bandwidth via techniques such as Deep Packet inspection. Such applications are then regulated by a respective service provider via policing or shaping traffic in a core network to limit throughput. However, as with the previously mentioned approach, this approach is also not net-neutral. Furthermore, traffic for high-bandwidth applications is limited, independent of whether the network is actually congested.